The Druuchii (Dark Elves)
Overview Dark elves (Druuchi in the ancient Elven tongue, or ‘drow’ as a derogatory term) are an evil breed that seeks to dominate all those around them. They are now principally found in Aegyptus, where they are worshipped as gods by the races they enslaved thousands of years ago. Personae Dark Elves are the product of a society seeped in betrayal and murder. From an early age, Dark Elves are taught that it is the strongest who rule, and the weak who live to serve. To a Dark Elf there is nothing wrong with betraying their fellows if they think it will advance their cause, and murdering your way to the top is seen as a viable path to advancement. Despite this, they hold great loyalty to their own race, and can behave honorably in their own way, perhaps the single most lasting quality from the time when they lived with the other elven races. Physical Description Dark elves are physically similar to their elven cousins, though often with a harsher cast to their features. They have dusky skin that can run the gamut frum dull grey to dark purple, hair that is usually lustrous silver or white, and eyes that can be pale and opaque (so pale as to be commonly mistaken or white) in shades of pale lilac, silver, pink, and blue. They also tend to be somewhat smaller and thinner than other elves. Dark elves wear little clothing due to the time they spend in the warm deserts of Yanna, and are usually adorned from head to toe in resplendant jewelry and gems. Relations All races realize that Dark Elves are a seperate branch of Elven kind. For thousands of years, the Druuchii had little respect for other races-- particularly humans, who comprise a majoirty of their slaves. Weakened by centuries of internecine war, the current Pharoah Nefertiti brokered a deal with the Roman Consul Maximus that would secure her place on the throne, as well as Roma's military support in future conflicts, in exchange for continuous tributes of grain. This agreement earned the Pharoah a great deal enmity among the Aegyptian elite, who rankled at the thought of a living God negotiating with a 'Mon-Keigh', but her empire has benefited greatly from increased trade with the Republic, and the Druuchii now hold a grudgingly mutual respect for at least Roma as a superpower, if not all its people. Alignment Dark elves are not so much invariably evil as hopelesly arrogant and self-centered. They have lived for millenia being revered as infallible and thus have little regard for the rights or worth of others, although Druuchii who find themselves traveling abroad sometimes find their world view gradually adjusts through constant interactions with other races (or they return to Aegyptus appalled at the 'disrespect' they received abroad). Dark Elf Lands Long ago, even before the Sundering, Dark Elves came to Aegyptus and were almost immediately heralded as physical manifestations of Gods. With the region's populace so inured, conquering and controlling the society as living dieties became a simple task, and they have ruled over that land to this day. The almost endless expanses of desert comprising their kingdom are filled with towering phyramids and titanic stone idols erected by their slave servants in honor of their greatness. Once, the Aegyptian Empire reached from Scipia Proconsularis to the lands of the Ind, but centuries of in-fighting and slave rebellions has steadily eroded their sphere of influence, so that by present day Aegyptus is an empire in name only, eclipsed by the splendor of the Parthian Empire to the east and threatened by the fierce nomadic tribes to the west. Religion The Druuchii practice a polytheistic religion, with anthropomorphic deities personifying the elements of nature or certain values. By far the most widely worshipped Aegyptian god is Set the Old Serpent. It is said that when the Druuchii first arrived in Aegyptus, it was Set who slew Ra, the Sun God and chief deity of the land's native tribes. With hsis dying breath, Ra cursed the Druuchii, so that they would never be welcome where the rays of the sun fell. Other dark 'hideous half-bestial' and 'apish' gods are worshipped as well, including Anubis, Sobek, and Nekhbet, though most of these cults have had their powerbases weakened significantly by Set's followers, so that their worship is usually confined to a single city. Historians believe Hashut was once also worshipped in Aegyptus, but was driven out. Druuchii believe in bodily resurrection, and that the soul, or Ka, can be seperated from the body and on death passes into the afterlife or is consumed and utterly destroyed by the Old Serpent. Language The language of the Druuchii is similar in structure of their cousins; however as the Dark Elves are a black reflection of their kin, so to is their language. Names There are often compounded of several meaningful syllables, such as: Nafer, Nut, Though, Merkri, Ak, Mek, Amon, Mes, Ra, Mun, Ankh, Cris, Ri, and Phon. Tutankhamon is made up of Tut-Ankh-Amon-- so there could be a druuchi named Set-Ankh-Mek or Setankmek. Examples: (male) ''Bakt, Ctesphon, Imhotep, Kamoses, Kutamun, Menes, Thothamon, Thothmekri, Thugra, Khotan, Thutmekri, Thutothmes, Tothmekri, Totrasmek, Tuthamon, Tuthmes; ''(Female): Akivasha, Ankesenamun, Eneny, Hebeny, Imiu, Isetnophret, Kiya, Miw-Sher, Netikerty, Sadeh, Thalis, Yunet. Category:Races